Please note: this event is in the past
Discover fascinating stories from Highgate's past, and the diverse history of the communities that make up North London. Come and chat to the people who are interested in and knowledgeable about the history of our local area, including representatives from local museums, historic houses and local history societies at this FREE fair!
Confirmed attendees for this year's Heritage fair include:
The Highgate Roman Kiln Project
Led by Hornsey and Wood Green MP Catherine West, FOHRK are working with the Museum of London, Bruce Castle Museum and the City of London Corporation to return a well-preserved Roman kiln, currently unseen in store rooms, for exhibition in Highgate Wood where it was discovered over 50 years ago.
Friends of Kenwood
The Friends promote and preserve the special qualities of Kenwood House, its estate and its world class collection of paintings.
Camden History Society
The Society research the social and architectural history of an area that stretches from Highgate to Holborn and Kilburn to King's Cross. They have discovered stories of growth, struggle, invention and inspiration.
Friends of Highgate Library (Camden)
Highgate Library was the first in St Pancras borough and opened in 1906. We support our library which holds a reference collection of books and materials on Highgate and Hampstead history and about Highgate Cemetery.
Channing School
Channing School was founded in 1885 by the Reverend Robert Spears and two sisters, Miss Emily and Miss Matilda Sharpe, for the daughters of Unitarian Ministers and others. The Channing archives offer a window into the lives of girls, young women and the Highgate community from the nineteenth century to the present day.
Hornsey Historical Society
The HHS celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2021. We are committed to protecting our local heritage and promoting local history studies and conservation work within the parliamentary constituency of Hornsey and Wood Green. A small, well-regarded charity, we are totally dependent on volunteers and are currently recruiting more members and volunteers to work with us, especially the younger generations.
North London U3A
Lauderdale House has hosted U3A's Shape of London group for nearly 30 years! The group studies London in all its aspects, from architecture to green spaces throughout history. Many of the members volunteer to give talks and lead walks on London related topics.
The Coleridge Trust
The Trust aims to raise funds to refurbish the poet’s, and his family’s tomb in St Michael’s’ Church Highgate, to give them a memorial worthy of his greatness.
Lady Gould's Charity
Lady Gould’s Charity was founded in 1691 by Elizabeth Gould, who was a resident of Highgate in North London. The charity first came into operation on the death of her husband in 1728. Every year since then, the Trust’s income has been distributed as grants to “inhabitants of the town and village of Highgate” who are in need.
Pink Plaques Project
Discover the lives of some of the most remarkable women from Highgate and unearth information about movers and shakers from our area’s past and present through this visual art project that commemorates the moments and memories of everyday people. By marking their existence with a plaque, the Pink Plaques Project hopes to draw attention to the famous, notorious and hidden women of our community.
The Highgate Society
The Highgate Society was founded in 1966 by local people who had successfully fought Government plans to route heavy traffic through the heart of Highgate. We aim to make Highgate a better place to live and work. Among our objectives, we aim to educate the public in the geography, history, natural history and architecture of the area; and secure the preservation, protection and enhancement of features of historic or public interest.
The Arts Society Hampstead Heath
We are a friendly society which brings people together through a shared curiosity for the arts. Our members contribute to and preserve our artistic heritage through volunteering and grants. We meet each month at Kenwood House, and we organise visits to historical and cultural venues in and around London. Do consider joining us - we have some places available for 2023.
The Highgate Literary & Scientific Institution Archive
The HLSI archive houses documents of all kinds relating to Highgate and its residents since the early C17th - photographs, postcards, newspaper cuttings, memoirs, books and maps. It holds the records of a number of Highgate organisations including the early 18th century almshouses in Southwood Lane, the Mothercraft Training Society and the Mary Feilding Guild.
The London Irish Centre
The London Irish Centre is the oldest and largest Irish Centre in Britain. Since opening in 1955, the Camden-based charity has welcomed, supported, and entertained millions of people. The Centre provides a world-class programme of Irish arts and culture, as well as services spanning information, advice, community support, a cafe/bar and venue.
Friends of Waterlow Park
Waterlow Park was the site of a several town houses and gardens long before Sir Sydney Waterlow moved to Fairseat in 1856. It therefore boasts a magnificent collection of native British trees and imported ones, planted over the years. Photographs will be displayed of just a few including the 300 year old hollow oak and the spectacular flowering cherry from Japan, which could even have been planted in Sir Sydney’s time. To celebrate this heritage the Friends have designed - and with the help of the gardening team - fixed smart new name labels to almost seventy of the trees. Maps of these will be available for free. And we will also be showing a video of prairie planting, a concept to be added to the park’s varied planting heritage this year. Pam Cooper’s excellent history of Waterlow Park - A Garden for the Gardenless will be on sale and the author herself will be on hand to chat about her research.
Lauderdale House
Come and check out the Victorian bottle we found during the renovations harking back to our time as a convalescence home to St Bartholomew’s Hospital, and collection of 1950’s milk bottles discovered in the courtyard excavations.
Discover more about the rest of the Heritage Weekend here.